FIVE IN ONE GRAVE
_______
The Remains of the Fire's Victims Interred in One Coffin
Nothing particularly new in the awful tragedy at Thatcher last Friday night has developed since the Guardian's special was issued.
The fact that five children could be cremated in the early evening with people passing the house almost continuously seems almost incredible, yet it is true. The facts so far as developed are these:
Mrs. Tempie Collier, a widow, who lived in a small lumber house on Main street, put her five children to bed and went to the home of Hon. W. W. Pace, to cook where she was assisting for the threshers.
About 9 o'clock the home was seen to be on fire and the door broken open and an attempt made to rescue the sleeping children, but when the door was broken, the flames leaped out in such volumes that an entrance was impossible. By this time a large crowd had gathered but could do nothing but helplessly look on; the whole structure was a roaring mass of flames, in fact when the fire was first discovered the whole inside of the house must have been a sea of fire and the children dead.
When the rescuers could get into the ruins a terrible spectacle met their gaze. There lay the charred remains of the two little girls where they had laid their heads on their pillows; they had not moved. The remains of the three boys were found near the door. The flesh was burned away entirely and portions of the bones were consumed. One of the smallest children could be recognized. It had evidently turned on its face and covered its head with the bed clothing which preserved the face to some extent. Each of the other children were almost consumed.
By the time the mother arrived on the scene a large crowd was there and her screams and lamentations were heart rending. But for the timely interference of several men, who carried her away, she would have plunged into the fire in an attempt to rescue her loved ones.
As there was no water near it was impossible to rescue the bodies until the fire had burned out. To stand there helpless and hear and see human beings cook and fry as so much meat was something so awful that those who witnessed it will never care to go through another such an ordeal.
Mrs. Collier says that she left the lamp lighted, and it is very probable that the fire had its origin from this, although there is nothing positive. The widow not only lost her entire family but everything she owned as well.
The funeral was held in Robinson's hall on Sunday morning. The house was packed with sympathetic friends from all parts of the valley. A relief fund of $125 was raised at the funeral. At the grave to see five innocent children lowered into mother earth in one coffin was more than the stoutest heart could stand calmly by and witness.
Such an accident as this is something so awful it is hard to realize.
A very queer coincidence occurred about a week before the tragedy took place. Mrs. Collier saw her dead husband in a dream. He informed her that he had come for the children as he was better prepared to care for them than she. Naturally she remonstrated against parting with her little ones, when suddenly a bolt of fire came between herself and her husband and children which shut them from her sight and she was carried away screaming by some men.
The two little girls were to take part in Mrs. Maeser's entertainment which should have been given last Saturday night but was postponed until Monday night and then given to raise a fund for the monument to be erected at the grave.
A subscription paper for the relief of the widow was started by Joe T. McKinney in Safford and $150 was raised.
Miss Snyder and others also gave an entertainment in Thatcher last night for the same purpose.
Graham Guardian, Safford, Arizona
June 29, 1900 page 1.
_______
The Remains of the Fire's Victims Interred in One Coffin
Nothing particularly new in the awful tragedy at Thatcher last Friday night has developed since the Guardian's special was issued.
The fact that five children could be cremated in the early evening with people passing the house almost continuously seems almost incredible, yet it is true. The facts so far as developed are these:
Mrs. Tempie Collier, a widow, who lived in a small lumber house on Main street, put her five children to bed and went to the home of Hon. W. W. Pace, to cook where she was assisting for the threshers.
About 9 o'clock the home was seen to be on fire and the door broken open and an attempt made to rescue the sleeping children, but when the door was broken, the flames leaped out in such volumes that an entrance was impossible. By this time a large crowd had gathered but could do nothing but helplessly look on; the whole structure was a roaring mass of flames, in fact when the fire was first discovered the whole inside of the house must have been a sea of fire and the children dead.
When the rescuers could get into the ruins a terrible spectacle met their gaze. There lay the charred remains of the two little girls where they had laid their heads on their pillows; they had not moved. The remains of the three boys were found near the door. The flesh was burned away entirely and portions of the bones were consumed. One of the smallest children could be recognized. It had evidently turned on its face and covered its head with the bed clothing which preserved the face to some extent. Each of the other children were almost consumed.
By the time the mother arrived on the scene a large crowd was there and her screams and lamentations were heart rending. But for the timely interference of several men, who carried her away, she would have plunged into the fire in an attempt to rescue her loved ones.
As there was no water near it was impossible to rescue the bodies until the fire had burned out. To stand there helpless and hear and see human beings cook and fry as so much meat was something so awful that those who witnessed it will never care to go through another such an ordeal.
Mrs. Collier says that she left the lamp lighted, and it is very probable that the fire had its origin from this, although there is nothing positive. The widow not only lost her entire family but everything she owned as well.
The funeral was held in Robinson's hall on Sunday morning. The house was packed with sympathetic friends from all parts of the valley. A relief fund of $125 was raised at the funeral. At the grave to see five innocent children lowered into mother earth in one coffin was more than the stoutest heart could stand calmly by and witness.
Such an accident as this is something so awful it is hard to realize.
A very queer coincidence occurred about a week before the tragedy took place. Mrs. Collier saw her dead husband in a dream. He informed her that he had come for the children as he was better prepared to care for them than she. Naturally she remonstrated against parting with her little ones, when suddenly a bolt of fire came between herself and her husband and children which shut them from her sight and she was carried away screaming by some men.
The two little girls were to take part in Mrs. Maeser's entertainment which should have been given last Saturday night but was postponed until Monday night and then given to raise a fund for the monument to be erected at the grave.
A subscription paper for the relief of the widow was started by Joe T. McKinney in Safford and $150 was raised.
Miss Snyder and others also gave an entertainment in Thatcher last night for the same purpose.
Graham Guardian, Safford, Arizona
June 29, 1900 page 1.
FIVE IN ONE GRAVE
_______
The Remains of the Fire's Victims Interred in One Coffin
Nothing particularly new in the awful tragedy at Thatcher last Friday night has developed since the Guardian's special was issued.
The fact that five children could be cremated in the early evening with people passing the house almost continuously seems almost incredible, yet it is true. The facts so far as developed are these:
Mrs. Tempie Collier, a widow, who lived in a small lumber house on Main street, put her five children to bed and went to the home of Hon. W. W. Pace, to cook where she was assisting for the threshers.
About 9 o'clock the home was seen to be on fire and the door broken open and an attempt made to rescue the sleeping children, but when the door was broken, the flames leaped out in such volumes that an entrance was impossible. By this time a large crowd had gathered but could do nothing but helplessly look on; the whole structure was a roaring mass of flames, in fact when the fire was first discovered the whole inside of the house must have been a sea of fire and the children dead.
When the rescuers could get into the ruins a terrible spectacle met their gaze. There lay the charred remains of the two little girls where they had laid their heads on their pillows; they had not moved. The remains of the three boys were found near the door. The flesh was burned away entirely and portions of the bones were consumed. One of the smallest children could be recognized. It had evidently turned on its face and covered its head with the bed clothing which preserved the face to some extent. Each of the other children were almost consumed.
By the time the mother arrived on the scene a large crowd was there and her screams and lamentations were heart rending. But for the timely interference of several men, who carried her away, she would have plunged into the fire in an attempt to rescue her loved ones.
As there was no water near it was impossible to rescue the bodies until the fire had burned out. To stand there helpless and hear and see human beings cook and fry as so much meat was something so awful that those who witnessed it will never care to go through another such an ordeal.
Mrs. Collier says that she left the lamp lighted, and it is very probable that the fire had its origin from this, although there is nothing positive. The widow not only lost her entire family but everything she owned as well.
The funeral was held in Robinson's hall on Sunday morning. The house was packed with sympathetic friends from all parts of the valley. A relief fund of $125 was raised at the funeral. At the grave to see five innocent children lowered into mother earth in one coffin was more than the stoutest heart could stand calmly by and witness.
Such an accident as this is something so awful it is hard to realize.
A very queer coincidence occurred about a week before the tragedy took place. Mrs. Collier saw her dead husband in a dream. He informed her that he had come for the children as he was better prepared to care for them than she. Naturally she remonstrated against parting with her little ones, when suddenly a bolt of fire came between herself and her husband and children which shut them from her sight and she was carried away screaming by some men.
The two little girls were to take part in Mrs. Maeser's entertainment which should have been given last Saturday night but was postponed until Monday night and then given to raise a fund for the monument to be erected at the grave.
A subscription paper for the relief of the widow was started by Joe T. McKinney in Safford and $150 was raised.
Miss Snyder and others also gave an entertainment in Thatcher last night for the same purpose.
Graham Guardian, Safford, Arizona
June 29, 1900 page 1.
_______
The Remains of the Fire's Victims Interred in One Coffin
Nothing particularly new in the awful tragedy at Thatcher last Friday night has developed since the Guardian's special was issued.
The fact that five children could be cremated in the early evening with people passing the house almost continuously seems almost incredible, yet it is true. The facts so far as developed are these:
Mrs. Tempie Collier, a widow, who lived in a small lumber house on Main street, put her five children to bed and went to the home of Hon. W. W. Pace, to cook where she was assisting for the threshers.
About 9 o'clock the home was seen to be on fire and the door broken open and an attempt made to rescue the sleeping children, but when the door was broken, the flames leaped out in such volumes that an entrance was impossible. By this time a large crowd had gathered but could do nothing but helplessly look on; the whole structure was a roaring mass of flames, in fact when the fire was first discovered the whole inside of the house must have been a sea of fire and the children dead.
When the rescuers could get into the ruins a terrible spectacle met their gaze. There lay the charred remains of the two little girls where they had laid their heads on their pillows; they had not moved. The remains of the three boys were found near the door. The flesh was burned away entirely and portions of the bones were consumed. One of the smallest children could be recognized. It had evidently turned on its face and covered its head with the bed clothing which preserved the face to some extent. Each of the other children were almost consumed.
By the time the mother arrived on the scene a large crowd was there and her screams and lamentations were heart rending. But for the timely interference of several men, who carried her away, she would have plunged into the fire in an attempt to rescue her loved ones.
As there was no water near it was impossible to rescue the bodies until the fire had burned out. To stand there helpless and hear and see human beings cook and fry as so much meat was something so awful that those who witnessed it will never care to go through another such an ordeal.
Mrs. Collier says that she left the lamp lighted, and it is very probable that the fire had its origin from this, although there is nothing positive. The widow not only lost her entire family but everything she owned as well.
The funeral was held in Robinson's hall on Sunday morning. The house was packed with sympathetic friends from all parts of the valley. A relief fund of $125 was raised at the funeral. At the grave to see five innocent children lowered into mother earth in one coffin was more than the stoutest heart could stand calmly by and witness.
Such an accident as this is something so awful it is hard to realize.
A very queer coincidence occurred about a week before the tragedy took place. Mrs. Collier saw her dead husband in a dream. He informed her that he had come for the children as he was better prepared to care for them than she. Naturally she remonstrated against parting with her little ones, when suddenly a bolt of fire came between herself and her husband and children which shut them from her sight and she was carried away screaming by some men.
The two little girls were to take part in Mrs. Maeser's entertainment which should have been given last Saturday night but was postponed until Monday night and then given to raise a fund for the monument to be erected at the grave.
A subscription paper for the relief of the widow was started by Joe T. McKinney in Safford and $150 was raised.
Miss Snyder and others also gave an entertainment in Thatcher last night for the same purpose.
Graham Guardian, Safford, Arizona
June 29, 1900 page 1.
Inscription
MY CHILDREN HAVE DEPARTED
AND LEFT ME HERE ALONE
BUT THEY ARE PATIENTLY WAITING
TO WELCOME ME AT HOME.
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